Cell culture device

A cell culture device (1) for use with an optical microscope, comprising

• a housing (10) that is configured to be placed onto a stage of an optical microscope in front of an objective of the microscope, the housing enclosing an internal space (11) of the housing (10), wherein the housing (10) further comprises a top wall (12) comprising a window (13) and an opposing bottom wall (14),
• a removable flow chamber (2) enclosing an internal space (20) for accommodating a cell culture (CC) comprising living biological cells, wherein the flow chamber (2) is configured to be inserted into the internal space (11) of the housing (10) and to be removed from the housing (10) for arranging the cell culture in the flow chamber (2), wherein the flow chamber (2) is further configured for guiding a flow of a fluid medium (M) through the internal space (20) of the flow chamber (2) so that the fluid medium (M) can contact the cell culture (CC) and flow along the cell culture (CC), and wherein the flow chamber (2) further comprises a first and a second transparent wall region (21, 22) for observing the cell culture (CC) arranged in the internal space (20) of the flow chamber (2), wherein the transparent wall regions face (21, 22) said window (13) when the flow chamber (2) is inserted into said internal space (11) of said housing (10),
• a heater (3) arranged in the internal space (11) of the housing (10) for heating said fluid medium (M) to be guided through the flow chamber (2),
• a first flow path (P1) arranged in the internal space (11) of the housing (10) for guiding said fluid medium (M) towards the flow chamber (2) via said heater (3), and a second flow path (P2) arranged in the internal space (11) of the housing (2) for guiding said fluid medium (M) away from the flow chamber (2), and
• a pump (4) for pumping said fluid medium (M) through the first flow path (P1) into the internal space (20) of the flow chamber (2) and through the second flow path (P2) out of the internal space (20) of the flow chamber (2) when the flow chamber (2) is inserted into the internal space (11) of the housing (10).